Cioppino at Beretta, $19
This always-poppin’ Italian resto in the Mission may be known for slinging divine pizza pies, but do not overlook its mega-hearty Cioppino! It only comes out of the kitchen and onto your table on Tuesdays (which makes Mondays all the more unbearable to get through, right?) but is well worth the weekly wait. Currently, the seasonal and made-to-order bowl is littered with the seven seas: tender red snapper, Dungeness crab, itty-bitty shrimps, mussels, squid, and clams. We can’t lie, we fell for this dish hook, line, and sinker. Every spoonful makes you feel like a fisherman, scooping up the meaty pieces amongst the slightly spicy tomato broth. Grab a glass of the Verdicchio to wash it down since the white wine is used to whip up the broth, too.
Cioppino, 1199 Valencia Street (at 23rd Street); 415-695-1199.

Photo: Courtesy of Beretta